• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Whats a good way to deal with a busted a-arm in the field?

P
Dec 15, 2018
1,060
871
113
I am a ****e rider snd I keep hitting stuff. Today I really smashed a hidden log bad and broke up my a-arm . It was folded over and busted inside the boot . I've never done it before so I didn't really know what to do to try and ride out. I got lots and lots and lots of practice trying to ride on the good ski and made it to a half mile to truck before it just folded the entire side and I had to do the wrong foot hop thing and it wasn't so fun since I suck at it and it was basicallylike I had one ski. So how do you deal with it? I was super bummed because my shock was fine till I splayed out the whole thing then I ruined it and I think I may have prevented that if I'd have known how. Fyi iam a real new rider so I really can't ride very well and have never broken anything before lol. Lucky I didn't break my body, I flew pretty far and hit harder than I thought I would . Stupid snow is so bad!!
 

brantd

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jan 31, 2010
140
67
28
carry hockey tape, and zip ties.you can do a lot with that and whats available in the forest,such as tree limbs to brace the broken A arm or simply use a tree limb to act as an A arm!
 
P
Dec 15, 2018
1,060
871
113
But...the thing is just flopping around in the wind! What do I zip tie it too?? I tried straps on the ski tips and to the spindles but it was pretty awful and I just kept damaging it more!? I carried straps bailing wire some zip ties and some tape but I guess I just can't conceptualize how to make it "stand up" straight with the ski flat on snow? I'd drag it under r tge sled too when I'd loose my one ski edge. So it was tip to tip and spindle to spindle and spindle to bumper and un rideable lol! Bwahaha I suck!!!
 

summ8rmk

Most handsome
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Feb 16, 2008
12,368
6,037
113
yakima, wa.
Oh maybe you mean use sticks or wrench as the a-arm? Like a splint?
If u have a few inches of tube on both side of the break. Hose clamp a stick the arm then duck tape.

If u can't make a splint, get a 6-9ft tree a limb it. Attach one end to the ski, behind the spindle and the rest of the tree under ur running board.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
 
P
Dec 15, 2018
1,060
871
113
Ok!!! Just splint it however you can! Dunno why I didn't think of the running board that makes good since. Jeez gotta stop hitting stuff it hurts too my hand and wrists are swollen up pretty good. Well now I know. I have a ton of hockey tape and hose clamps. Thanks!!
 

wyobob44

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Sep 30, 2005
164
111
43
Sundance, WY
it all comes down to your ingenuity, i was a professional backcountry guide for 17 years, and you would be amazed at the things you can do with zip ties, duct tape, and some good worm gear hose clamps, add in a saw and some tree branches ..as long as there is 1 side still in good shape, you can triage the other side to allow you to baby your self back to the truck.. the furthest i ever had to ride 1 ski out was 27 miles
 

Teth-Air

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Nov 27, 2007
4,548
2,776
113
Calgary AB/Nelson BC
www.specified.ca
One thing I learned is if you bend an A-arm and you think it is ridable just make sure the shock won't hit or you will be replacing it too. In your case it may have been good to remove the shock and tie it all up.

We see alot on the Polaris sleds and that is why we build the Arm Candy, A-Arm braces. Really reduced the number of bends/breaks.
 

Sage Crusher

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 30, 2010
3,260
1,171
113
Rock Springs,Wyoming
One thing I learned is if you bend an A-arm and you think it is ridable just make sure the shock won't hit or you will be replacing it too. In your case it may have been good to remove the shock and tie it all up.

We see alot on the Polaris sleds and that is why we build the Arm Candy, A-Arm braces. Really reduced the number of bends/breaks.
I agree- BUT at the cost of just getting back to the trailer I will sacrifice a shock pretty easily....;)
 

Fosgate

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Mar 28, 2005
10,993
5,293
113
Rapid City, SD
Get genuine military 100 mile an hour tape in my bag all the time. Once I was someplace where I should not have been riding with friends when our friendly neighborhood trout trooper gave chase and 10 of us decided to evade. I smoked a rock going flat out that took out a shock and ripped up my a-arm when I hit the next field approach. Took about 30 seconds to tape the right ski to the tunnel and parts to each other out of the way. Hopped on and rode another 5 miles at a stupid fast clip on one ski and still didn't get caught. You'd be surprised at what you can accomplish if your scared enough.
 
B
Aug 13, 2022
36
8
8
California
carry hockey tape, and zip ties.you can do a lot with that and whats available in the forest,such as tree limbs to brace the broken A arm or simply use a tree limb to act as an A arm!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Premium Features